Newser Story Index from March, 2008
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
Brits Join the Fight in Basra
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 29, 2008 11:27 AM CDT
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As the Iraqi army struggles to combat militias in Basra, British troops for the first time directly joined the fight, and American forces expanded their bombing beyond the militia stronghold. The Brits, who had previously provided only logistical and air support to the Iraqis, fired on an insurgent mortar team in Bosra, the Telegraph reports. Moqtada...
Colleges Apply Lessons From Shootings
Associated Press
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Mar 29, 2008 11:00 AM CDT
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In the wake of shootings on college campuses, administrators around the nation are forming threat-assessment groups and rethinking policies about sharing information on troubled students, the AP reports. "If a student is a danger to himself or others, all the privacy concerns go out the window,” said an administrator at the University of...
Her Least Favorite Things
Men's Health
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Mar 29, 2008 10:30 AM CDT
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OK, she’s clearly ticked—but what set her off this time? Lisa Jones lets Men’s Health in on 8 things guys shouldn't do. Read up, she says, and "you'll be able to stop repelling the women you want to meet—or aggravating the one you have." Nail clippings on the nightstand are a no-no. Observe basic hygiene....
Poison Drummer Arrested on Rape Charge
E! Online
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Mar 29, 2008 10:00 AM CDT
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The drummer for '80s hair band Poison was hit with a rape warrant upon returning from New Zealand, E! Online reports. Richard Ream, 46, better known as Rikki Rockett, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a Mississippi casino resort where he was staying. Officials arrested him at customs in Los Angeles, and he spent the night behind bars;...
Boston Dogs Best in the Land
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 29, 2008 9:33 AM CDT
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America's best hot dog is to be found in Beantown, writes Raymond Sokolov in the Wall Street Journal . On the eve of a new baseball season, Sokolov criss-crossed the country in a quest to find the top dog. Hollywood, New York, and (especially) Chicago offered strong contenders, but perfection in a bun was found at Speed's—a humble hot dog stand...
New US Mideast Commander Installed
St. Petersburg Times
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Mar 29, 2008 8:58 AM CDT
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A new commander has taken temporary charge of US military operations in the Mideast, after a quiet ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida yesterday. Lt. Gen Martin Dempsey will run CentCom while the administration seeks a permanent replacement for Adm. William Fallon, who quit abruptly earlier this month amid media reports that he was opposed...
Clinton Supporters See Sexist Backlash
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 29, 2008 8:51 AM CDT
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Many women who support Hillary Clinton—and even some who don't—find that the New York senator's bid for president has unleashed unsettling sexist hostility in the workplace and elsewhere, the Wall Street Journal reports. A woman shouted at by a stranger for her Hillary bumper sticker says the "level of venom" always takes her...
Japanese Swindle Could Cost Lehman $250M
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 29, 2008 8:44 AM CDT
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Possible fraud involving forged documents from a Japanese trading firm may have cost Lehman Brothers $250 million, the Wall Street Journal reports. The investment bank loaned funds to a Japanese biotech firm last year; the transaction was secured by top trading company Marubeni Corp. But the biotech firm filed for bankruptcy March 19, and the funds...
Freed Former Ala. Governor Targets Rove
New York Times
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Mar 29, 2008 7:47 AM CDT
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Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, who walked out of a Louisiana federal prison on an appeal bond yesterday, told the New York Times in his first interview that "abuse of power" put him behind bars—and accused Karl Rove of being behind it all. “It’s going to be my quest to encourage Congress to ensure that Karl Rove either...
Merkel Will Skip Olympics
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 29, 2008 7:07 AM CDT
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other top German officials won't be going to the Beijing Olympics, the Guardian reports, joining Polish and Czech leaders who have pledged to stay away. But while Polish PM Donald Tusk and Czech President Vaclav Klaus said they'll be boycotting the opening ceremony to protest human rights abuses in Tibet, the Germans...
Bush Readies Mortgage Bailout
Washington Post
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Mar 29, 2008 6:48 AM CDT
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Homeowners facing foreclosure could soon be getting a helping hand from the Bush administration, the Washington Post reports. Details are being finalized on a plan that would see portions of loans forgiven for people who now owe the bank more money than their house is worth. The remainder would be refinanced into smaller mortgages backed by public...
TSA Changes Rules on Nipple Rings
CNN
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Mar 29, 2008 6:23 AM CDT
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Airport security guards who forced a woman to remove her nipple rings with pliers were following procedures, according to the TSA—but they agree it's time for some new procedures, CNN reports. Pierced passengers pulled over for inspection will in future be told they have the option of showing the piercing to a guard instead of removing it.
7 Russian Cultists Quit Cave
Itar-Tass
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Mar 29, 2008 5:49 AM CDT
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Seven members of a Russian doomsday cult, all women, have emerged from the cave where they have been holed up since November, awaiting the end of the world (note: in May), Itar-Tass reports. Twenty-eight more remain in the cave southeast of Moscow—but they are expected to come out soon, as melting snow has caused part of the cave to collapse.
Criticism Dogs Basra Battle
CNN
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Mar 29, 2008 5:33 AM CDT
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As US troops are drawn deeper into the four-day-old Iraqi crackdown on militants in Basra, critics see a long and difficult road ahead. While President Bush praised the operation as a "defining moment in the history of a free Iraq," military officials murmured that the battle "is going to go on for a while," CNN reports.
Leahy Be Damned, Hillary Soldiers On
New York Times
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Mar 29, 2008 5:14 AM CDT
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Citing the rights of voters to speak their piece and the “many differing opinions and strong-minded individuals” of the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton yesterday reaffirmed her candidacy in the face of senator Patrick Leahy’s call for her end a campaign with “no very good reason” to continue and make way for Barack Obama,...
No Warts Here: Memphis Dominates Michigan State
Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
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Mar 29, 2008 2:29 AM CDT
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The Tigers pounced early and often, and all those flaws critics have been pointing out since the NCAA tourney began were nowhere to be seen, the Commercial Appeal reports. Memphis put on a clinic last night, breaking the game open 50-20 by the end of the first half, en route to a 92-74 demolishing of Michigan State. With the win, The Tigers earned...
Spurs Notch 50th Win, Extend Streak to Six
Associated Press
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Mar 29, 2008 2:26 AM CDT
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It took one inspired Manu Ginobili performance to propel the Spurs from fifth place to second in the Western Conference, the AP reports. Ginobili broke open in the fourth quarter last night, scoring 16 of his 26 points and thwarting a Minnesota comeback. The 99-84 victory marks San Antonio's 50th of the season, and sixth straight. Elsewhere...
Nova's Run Ends With Thud Against Kansas
Kansas City Star
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Mar 29, 2008 2:24 AM CDT
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Kansas had its third straight cakewalk of the tournament, surging ahead of 12th-seeded Villanova early and never looking back in a 72-57 victory at Ford Field in Detroit. The Jayhawks were led by Brandon Rush with 16 points, and Russell Robinson, who had 15 and played excellent defense on Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, holding him to 11, reports the...
Canandiens Light Lamp Late, Stun Sabres
Associated Press
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Mar 29, 2008 2:22 AM CDT
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Tomas Plekanec scored twice in the final 2:31, including the tying goal with 15 seconds remaining, and teammate Christopher Higgins scored in overtime as Montreal dealt Buffalo a serious blow to its playoff hopes with 4-3 victory. Mark Streit added three assists for the Canadiens, who took over first place in the Eastern Conference, reports AP. Also...
Pierce, Celtics Swat Hornets in Rematch
Associated Press
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Mar 29, 2008 2:14 AM CDT
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The Big Three all hit double digits last night, as the Celtics cruised to a 112-92 victory over the Hornets, the AP reports, avenging a loss in New Orleans last week. Paul Pierce led the pack with 27 points, and was joined by Kevin Garnett's 21 and Ray Allen's 12. The win solidified Boston's position atop the East, as they lead Detroit by six with...
Size Doesn't Matter As Texas Beats Stanford
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 11:30 PM CDT
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D.J. Augustin had 21 points, seven assists and triggered a 20-3 second half run as Texas broke open a one-point game and defeated third-seeded Stanford, 82-62. Augustin scored eight points during that stretch and fed Damion James on a big-time dunk that brought a roar from the partisan crowd. James had 18 points while early-round star A.J. Abrams had...
Devils Dominate Shootout to Down Flyers
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 11:27 PM CDT
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The Devils stopped the bleeding last night, ending a five-game winless skid with a 5-4 shootout victory over Philadelphia. Despite the Flyers' Mike Knubel leveling the game with less than a minute to play in regulation, they had no answer for New Jersey's three shootout goals, ending Philly's four game winning streak, the AP reports. In other NHL action:
Backup Suns Shine Bright in Philly Win
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Mar 28, 2008 11:23 PM CDT
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Phoenix got double-figures in scoring from five players, including 17 apiece from Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw off the bench, and defeated red-hot Philadelphia, 107-93, reports the Arizona Republic . The Suns played solid defense, forcing the Sixers, who had won seven of their last eight, to miss their first 13 shots and holding them to 39% shooting...
On the Menu: Curried Badger
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 10:15 PM CDT
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Highly touted defenses don't seem to rattle Stephen Curry and Davidson, as they knocked off another higher seed—this time No. 3 Wisconsin—in convincing fashion, 73-56. The sophomore sensation, the son of former NBA star Dell Curry, had 33 points. It was his third consecutive game over 30 as the 10th-seeded Wildcats won their 25 straight...
Treasury Wants Mega-Fed to Monitor Markets
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 10:14 PM CDT
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The Treasury wants a newly empowered Federal Reserve to monitor market stability and swoop in on institutions that threaten it, the New York Times reports. If approved by lawmakers, the Treasury plan would merge a jumble of regulatory agencies and combine the SEC with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. But the plan also reduces or maintains...
Spitzer Slammed for Smearing Political Rival
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 8:51 PM CDT
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Eliot Spitzer was more involved a smear campaign against political rival Joe Bruno than he cared to admit, according to a report today. Spitzer's answers to investigators were possibly "not truthful," Albany District Attorney P. David Soares said—but Soares is not seeking prosecution, in part due to Spitzer’s sudden resignation...
Diller On Top in Liberty/IAC Ruling
Bloomberg
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Mar 28, 2008 8:03 PM CDT
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Barry Diller took round one today in his feud with fellow billionaire John Malone: A Delaware judge ruled that Malone can’t force Diller out of Interactive Corp. for trying to break up the company, Bloomberg reports. The ruling prevents Malone's Liberty Media from seizing control; Liberty has a minority stake in IAC but, by prior agreement with...
And to Your Right, You'll See Another Foreclosure...
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 7:29 PM CDT
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Looking for cheap real estate? Hop on a foreclosure bus tour, a trend sweeping the nation in the wake of the mortgage crisis, the AP reports. The excursions typically include experts who educate buyers while showing empty homes: some bargain beauties, some fixer-uppers. "We're kind of a seminar on a bus," says one California real-estate agent.
Moscow Warns NATO Not to 'Play With Fire'
Reuters
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Mar 28, 2008 6:59 PM CDT
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Moscow urged NATO today not to absorb ex-Soviet republics Georgia and Ukraine, Reuters reports. "It's a dangerous game to play with fire," said Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov, who warned that Russia's military ties with NATO were at stake. His remarks come days before a NATO summit in Bucharest, where Vladimir Putin will attend—and Georgia...
Tiger Victims File Claims Against San Francisco
San Francisco Chronicle
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Mar 28, 2008 6:24 PM CDT
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Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal, the brothers attacked by a tiger Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo, filed claims yesterday against the city for damages, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. They are requesting an unspecified amount, claiming they suffered physical and emotional trauma in the attack, which took the life of their friend Carlos Sousa.
Obama Inspires Caribbean Serenade
Miami Herald
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Mar 28, 2008 5:55 PM CDT
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Barack Obama is inspiring tropical love songs, the Miami Herald reports, and the tunes—from Trinidad calypso king the Mighty Sparrow’s Barack the Magnificent to Jamaican reggae fixture Cocoa Tea’s Barak Obahama —are firing up YouTube. The songs are also a signal of the Illinois Democrat's popularity outside the US, particularly...
Long Island Talks Secession From New York
Newsday
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Mar 28, 2008 5:36 PM CDT
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Officials on Long Island have initiated a study on the economic feasibility of its secession from New York state, Newsday reports. While acknowledging the difficulties of establishing a 51st state, Suffolk County Comptroller Joseph Sawicki said the proposal is really about examining what Long Island contributes to greater New York, and what it doesn’t...
Naughty Playboy Goes Nice
Reuters
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Mar 28, 2008 5:15 PM CDT
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A Philippines edition of dependably naughty Playboy magazine launches Thursday, but fans looking for flesh can forget it, Reuters reports. Instead of aiming at lads, the mag targets mature dads, and religious considerations mean full-frontal nudity is a no-no. It’ll burst instead with well-written articles on “everything under the sun...
Older (White) Americans Live Longer, Larger
Reuters
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Mar 28, 2008 4:55 PM CDT
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Americans over age 65 have better financial security, are better educated and expected to live far longer than ever, a study finds—but huge gaps remain between results for whites and those for blacks and Latinos. "The life expectancy gap between whites and blacks has narrowed but is still large," a researcher tells Reuters. "There...
Delta-Northwest Deal May Be Back On, Without Pilot Input
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 28, 2008 4:41 PM CDT
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Northwest is trying to resuscitate the Delta merger that nearly went through in February with a deal that wouldn’t need pilot agreements or include anticipated salary increases, the Wall Street Journal reports. The pilots' inability to agree on seniority rules appeared to derail the deal, which didn't require labor agreements; both parties...
That's Professor Obama to You
Politico
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Mar 28, 2008 4:28 PM CDT
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Barack Obama was indeed a professor at the University of Chicago's law school, the school said today. The Clinton campaign and the Sun-Times have said otherwise, but academic semantics back the onetime senior lecturer. The university said that title did qualify Obama as a professor—and the law school had even offered him a tenure-track position.
A Dad Debates Introducing Wine
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 4:14 PM CDT
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Will letting your kids sip wine decrease chances of binges later, Eric Asimov wonders in the New York Times . “I can’t help hoping that my sons might share my taste in ball teams and politics. Why should wine be any different?” writes Asimov, who imagined raising his children European-style to teach them “wine is a wonderful...
Tiny Shocks Win by a Nose
Chicago Tribune
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Mar 28, 2008 4:00 PM CDT
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Electric shocks can sharpen the sense of smell, a finding that suggests new ways of altering sensory perception, the Chicago Tribune reports. MRIs showed subjects’ brains actually changing after researchers administered tiny shocks, which improved their ability to distinguish between similar smells. Because many psychological conditions relate...
Stocks Fall on Consumer Data
Bloomberg
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Mar 28, 2008 3:47 PM CDT
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Stocks erased morning gains on poor consumer spending news to wrap up today's session in negative territory. The Dow and the S&P 500 racked up weekly losses of 1.2% and 1.1%, Bloomberg reports. The Dow fell 86.38 today to close at 12,216.08. The Nasdaq fell 19.65 to 2,261.18, and the S&P 500 fell 10.54 to 1,315.22.
Heathrow Mess Will Ripple Well Into Weekend
Times (UK)
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Mar 28, 2008 3:33 PM CDT
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Logistical disasters continued today at Heathrow airport's new Terminal 5—and flight cancellations, delays and luggage losses will likely continue all weekend, the Times of London reports. British Airways, the facility's sole airline, said it hoped to run 80% of planned flights today, the terminal's second. "I am a frequent traveler,"...
Casey Nod Perfectly Timed, Placed
Washington Post
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Mar 28, 2008 3:21 PM CDT
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The endorsement of Sen. Bob Casey will give Barack Obama aid right where he needs it, Shailagh Murray notes in the Washington Post —among Pennsylvania’s lower-income white men. So-called “Casey Democrats”—anti-abortion, pro-gun social conservatives—are the kind of voters Obama must prove he can sway April 22 in...
Scientists Build Immune System in Test Tube
Time
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Mar 28, 2008 3:09 PM CDT
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Scientists have discovered a way to produce tiny artificial human immune systems, Time reports, a breakthrough that could transform vaccine research. The process—called Modular Immune In Vitro Construct—will allow researchers to test budding medicines as never before and possibly make faster progress against AIDS and other killers.
Swan-Boat Romance Takes Wing (Again)
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 2:57 PM CDT
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After her real-life avian lover flew the coop, a German black swan has returned to her ex—a swan-shaped paddleboat, the AP reports. Petra was joined at the wing with the craft in 2006—but that relationship seemed to have sung its swan song when both were taken to a zoo for the winter—where she dumped it for a real male.
Your Phone May Soon Know If You're Sick
ComputerWorld
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Mar 28, 2008 2:45 PM CDT
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Your cell phone might soon be able to tell you if you’ve caught the flu. Researchers with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo have developed a workable method of “molecular communications”—a system for the transport of microscopic samples from a user’s sweat into their phone for analysis, Computerworld reports.
Leahy to Clinton: You're Out
Vermont Public Radio
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Mar 28, 2008 2:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Continued sniping with Hillary Clinton is hurting Barack Obama's chances of winning the White House, and "she ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama," Sen. Pat Leahy told Vermont Public Radio in an interview aired today. The harsh assessment coincided with a suggestion from another influential Vermonter, DNC chairman...
India: Solution to US Health Crisis
Chicago Tribune
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Mar 28, 2008 2:32 PM CDT
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India is a top destination for uninsured Americans needing major surgery, the Chicago Tribune reports, with prices up to 85% lower than US rates. Last year, India welcomed 150,000 medical tourists, the Chicago Tribune reports—and now, HMOs want a piece of those savings. “Employers may soon follow in the footsteps of individuals,”...
Pundits Spar Over McCain as Dubya Redux
Salon
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Mar 28, 2008 2:19 PM CDT
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John McCain’s foreign-policy address Wednesday split watchers, with David Brooks, in the New York Times , declaring the Republican candidate a breath of fresh air and Glenn Greenwald, in Salon, seeing four more years of George W. Bush. Brooks says the “personal, nuanced and ambitious speech” shows McCain to be a JFK-style internationalist,...
Keith Riffs on 'Boinky' Groupies, Sexy Mick
GQ
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Mar 28, 2008 2:07 PM CDT
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Rolling Stones mummy Keith Richards is still kicking, and GQ got him talking about—what else?—sex, drugs and rock 'n roll in his Manhattan "office" while he downed a vodka on the rocks. Richards doesn't debunk any myths, certainly. "It wasn't just boinky-boinky" with the groupies, he said. "They used to rub Vicks...
Al Gore, Dems' Back-Up Plan
Time
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Mar 28, 2008 1:55 PM CDT
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If the Democratic nomination isn’t wrapped up before August's convention, the party might have a third choice: the one they crowned in 2000. If Barack Obama is too bloodied and Hillary Clinton too divisive, Joe Klein writes in Time , a superdelegate coup could yield an Al Gore-Obama ticket on the spot. Of course, the party would have to be “monumentally...
New Electronics Can Stretch, Fold
MIT Technology Review
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Mar 28, 2008 1:42 PM CDT
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New research showing that it’s possible to make stretchable, bendable complex electrical circuits could open the door to wearable computers and to health-monitoring systems that can be implanted, Technology Review reports. Previous bendable circuitry was too slow for complex computing, but the new circuits, of ultra-thin silicon on plastic...
